Connections
by maddi carolann
Summary: Lily is relaizing there is much more to James than meets the eye. 2-part currently and more coming!
1. Chapter 1 James

He was lying.

He was lying to himself….and he didn't know how to stop.

He was supposed to be the rock star, the big shot, the big man on campus.

The player. The ladies man.

So how on EARTH did he manage to fall for the only girl in the entire school who hated his guts?

Lily Evans.

He savored her name on his tongue.

Lily Evans.

The brilliant, beautiful, Lily Evans.

He had to stop thinking about her. Now. She was the only girl he was ever unsure of. She was the only who could leave him on the tip of his toes, begging for her attention, however negative it may be. He would do and had done everything to get her to glance over at him, to look at him, for their eyes to meet, even if it was just for a second.

The redheaded prefect seemed to be immune to his charms and his bad boy attitude. They seemed to annoy her actually.

But it's not like he would transfigure himself just to win the approval of some girl.

How could he?

He was James Potter, hooligan extraordinaire, expert at ignoring authority and breezing past the rules.

He didn't change for anybody.

But this good-two-shoes Evans had him hooked, intrigued. She was such a mystery. A closed book, not that James read much anyway.

For there she was, her red locks tucked loosely behind her ear. Sitting oh so casually in the Gryffindor Common Room, muttering over some DADA spells, looking so perfect.

This was his chance, he told himself.

He was going to go talk to Eva-Lily. A nice, civilized conversation. And he was going to call her Lily. She seemed to like that.

Here goes nothing, he thought.

He descended the stairs with effortless grace, faking every ounce of confidence and praying to the Lord that he would stop trembling and be able to speak without blubbering incoherently.

"Mind if I join you?" He asked quietly, softly. His voice came from above her shoulder. Lily turned in surprise. She recognized his voice, she had to. They met eyes. Those, gorgeous, piercing green eyes.

God, she was so beautiful.

She stared at him for a moment, studying his face. He didn't look away, no matter how badly he wanted to. Without a word, she turned around and scooted her books to the side, making room for James beside her.

He sat with a gracious smile and a "Thanks". They sat in silence for another moment.

"So." He began. "Interesting Divination class today, huh?"

"Mhmm."

"Did you see the look on Muliber's face when he got the Grim? Priceless!" James worked up a laugh. Anything to make this less awkward.

Lily rounded on him. "What do you want, Potter?"

He blinked twice, caught by surprise. "Just making friendly conversation, I suppose."

"Friendly? Potter, we've hated each other since the train first year! It's a little late for friendly conversation." Lily turned back to her book.

"Aw, come on Lily! You can't blame me for trying to make amends!"

She looked at him quizzically. "Lily?" she said, with a twitch of a smile peeking out from the corners of her perfect mouth.

James smiled. He knew she liked that. "That is your name….right?"

She laughed softly. He loved her laugh. It was typically not due to him, so this was a change he rather liked. "Yeah," she chuckled out, "It's just….."

"Just..?"

She turned away. "Never mind," the corners of her mouth turning upward in a smile.

"What?" he nudged her softly, openly grinning now.

"Nothing!" she shoved back, smiling too.

James put up his hands in defeat, still laughing. He loved this…this…this connection they were having. It was easy, and so right.

He could've asked her out, right then and there. But the possibility of rejection was too great for him to endure.

Later, he decided. Later would be best. Gave her more time to get to know him, and him her.

Lily met his eye hesitantly with the ghost of a laugh on her face. She closed her book. "I suppose I'm not getting much studying done…" she said softly, trailing off. She slowly stood up and James caught her arm as she turned to walk upstairs.

"Yes, James?" she asked, eyes wide and smile blinding.

James.

She called him James for once.

He rather liked that. It sounded so right coming from her.

He liked it much better that the 'Potter!' everyone seemed to adore.

Oh to heck with it!

He stood as well, and bowed to his lady. Lily looked at him ludicrously, let out a laugh, and curtsied. He took her soft hand in his.

"Lilian Jane Evans," he began. Lily looked at him like he was crazy, but she was secretly loving it. "Would you do the honor of accompanying me to Hogsmeade this upcoming Saturday?"

She looked at him. And looked at him. And looked at him. He couldn't read her face. She withdrew her hand from his and clutched her DADA book to her chest.

"Are you serious?"

James's mind went blank. She was rejecting him. He knew he should've waited, he knew it! But against all his better instincts, he had thrown caution to the wind….and look where that landed him.

He couldn't meet her eyes. Her lovely eyes. "Honestly, Lily, yes I am…"

"Potter…" she began, "You are an arrogant toerag and I wouldn't go out with you if we were the last two people of earth."

He dropped his hand, his eyes downcast, obviously very hurt.

Lily bit her lip and looked down with the hint of a smile of her face. "James, however, is a little bit different."

His head snapped up. She was smiling and a grin began to spread on his own face. "Brillant," he breathed. "Well, um, Honeydukes and the Three Broomsticks sound alright?"

"Of course!" Neither could stop smiling. "Til then, James Potter." With a shy smile, Lily gave James a quick peck on the check and scampered up the stairs to the girl's dormitory.

James put his hand to the exact place Lily's lips had touched. He fell back in a fake faint into the couch.

Wow, was all he could think.

Wow.


	2. Chapter 2 Lily

The stars were dull tonight. They weren't their normal, bright, twinkling selves, way up there, looking down over everyone and everything going on.

They were dark.

Almost.

They were just faint.

It could be that a) the earth was facing a different angle than usual due to the late hour Lily was up and their brilliance was lost into space, several light-years away from the window seat that Lily was curled up in.

Perhaps it had something to do with b) the gaseous atmosphere and the pollution caused by English factories that were creating a smoggy hazy that just so happened to gather above Hogwarts.

Maybe it was c) Hogwarts itself. Maybe Dumbledore was updating their protective charms and their initial color had not yet faded. That's what was causing the stars to seem so dim.

Or.

Maybe it was d) some universally-planned, signed from up above, implied metaphor for her feelings…her brain….her heart.

But it was probably just the protective charms.

Then again, Lily always picked option c) when she didn't know the answer. Not that she guessed often.

Lily sighed. It was exactly 3:46 in the morning. Lily had a DADA test the next-well, today, and she hadn't slept a wink.

Had she actually accepted James Potter's proposal for a date to Hogsmeade?

It was ludicrous. Insane! James Potter had to be the most pompous, idiotic, arrogant human being in the history of Hogwarts.

So what made her say yes?

Was it a) the way he looked at her? So naturally, so…sweetly? So awe-struck?

There was no way that was it. His gaze was hungry and lustful and she needed to stop telling herself otherwise.

Could it be b) His smile? That oh-so-confident, oh-so-natural, nothing-can-hurt-me smile?

Was it his persistence? His determination to never give up? His flawless skills on the broom? His agility as the Gryffindor seeker?

Lily racked her brain. It was spinning. Mentally, she discarded options c), d), e), and f) from the possibilities. Then, she discarded a) and b).

The answer was option g), and it was killing her. It was the way her stomach dropped and twisted in a not-so-unpleasant feeling when James called her Lily.

She was known as Evans. Brainiac Evans. Book Worm Evans. Teachers Pet Evans. Even…Mudblood Evans by the Slytherins.

It was always Evans. Except to, well, Severus.

And apparently, James Potter.

He was perfectly natural about it, about her in general, really.

It was very easy to be around him. He wasn't so cocky or annoying when they were alone. He was actually…fun…and caring…and so willing to change.

Was it an act? He seemed sincere. And so chivalrous. Well, that was kind of a joke, but it was chivalry none the less. And she rather liked it.

It was 3:52.

James Potter had kept her from sleep long enough that night. Lily unwrapped her arms from her knees and took a gentle hold on her wand. "Lumos," she whispered, her voice silently carried in the night wind. Her wand began to glow and she found her way from the window to her comforting bed. She shook out her thick hair and sent the room into blackness with a quiet "Nox," before laying back and snuggling underneath the covers.

She was wrong about James Potter, she decided.

Maybe first impressions didn't need to be so lasting.


End file.
